Adrián García Bogliano. Late Phases, Dark Sky Films, 2014.
Category: movie
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Horror Cinema: Lisa Frankenstein
I glibly dismissed Lisa Frankenstein because I didn’t think that a “Lisa Frank” take on a horror story would be any good. On the weekend, however, a friend recommended the movie at a dinner party, telling us that it was a modern version of the 1980s Heathers with a Frankenstein monster. Color me intrigued!
My friend’s description was accurate, but not because the story was anything really like Heathers. It was more the overall campy vibe of the film along with the 1980s time period and the funny commentaries on how stupid high school is.
I was pleasantly surprised to truly enjoy this movie. A hybrid of horror and romantic comedy, the movie never took itself too seriously. It was cheesy, funny and gory in all the right ways at all the right times. For me, Lisa Frankenstein joined my list of all-time classics!
Added bonus for those of us romantics who love a masculine and sensitive male love interest. 😍 He was adorable!
Williams, Zelda. Lisa Frankenstein, Universal Pictures, 2024.
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May Your Christmas Be Merry and Bright
Silent Night (2012) was a gem of a horror movie! It had some of the goriest kills of all time, and some of the dialogue was campy and classic. One of my favorite lines was, “Don’t bring a flame thrower to a gun fight.” Then for the flame thrower to burn the gun holder to a crisp, lol.
Happy Horrordays! 🎅🔪
Miller, Steven. Silent Night, Anchor Bay Films, 2012.
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Horror Cinema: Apartment 7A
When I started watching Apartment 7A, I did not know that it was related to Rosemary’s Baby. As I recognized the names of the secondary characters and was introduced to Dianne Wiest’s loving tribute to Ruth Gordon, I was charmed straight through to the end.
The main character was refreshing as the protagonist in contrast to Rosemary. She was a career girl, and the stakes she had in being groomed for the Mother of the Anti-Christ were intriguing because she was making her decisions for herself. Julia Garner did a great job of portraying a sympathetic version of her character.
Overall, a great addition to Rosemary’s Baby!
James, Natalie Erika. Apartment 7A, Paramount Pictures, 2024.
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Horror Cinema: The Evil Within
The demonic villain alone makes The Evil Within worth watching. The demon’s make-up and his overall psychotically violent demeanor was scary. His relationship to the protagonist was intriguing and interesting to watch as he forced the protagonist into becoming a killer. I found the story thoughtfully layered, from the protagonist’s back story with his brother to the protagonist’s shifting identities near the end of the story as the demon possessed him. Narrative aside, the demon and the killer were unlike anything I had seen before and were memorable.
Getty, Andrew. The Evil Within, Vision Films, 2017.
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Horror Cinema: Ginger Snaps
My favorite aspect of Ginger Snaps is its setting: suburbia. The movie captures the unsettling homogeny of suburbia so well, and it does a great job of ripping it apart. Add to that the intelligently written story that touches thoughtfully on women’s sexuality, and this movie stands apart from the average horror movie, let alone werewolf flick.
Fawcett, John. Ginger Snaps, Motion International, 2000.
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Horror Cinema: The Crone
On more than one occasion while watching The Crone, I exclaimed, “What the heck is going on right now?” Some of the visuals were surreal and others were body horror, which were super gross, but that is what I want from a horror movie, so it was great. The movie, overall, was spooky as sh*t, and I loved it. For a supernatural movie and a Japanese horror film, this one is a classic!
Naito, Eisuke. The Crone, Travis, 2013.
The Devil's Muse 